Camp Chef Woodwind Review: Is It a Good Value for Your Money?
FaveGrills is reader-supported. If you purchase by clicking a link on this page, we may earn an Affiliate Commission at no extra cost. Learn more
If you have been using pellet smokers or grills for some time, you must know about the Camp Chef brand. It is known for manufacturing top-notch outdoor cooking appliances, and the Woodwind 24-in. pellet grill is one of them.
This Camp Chef product consists of many great features that make it a standout option for BBQ enthusiasts. If you are also willing to invest in this grill but want an in-depth Camp Chef woodwind review first to reduce your effort, this is a must-read guide for you.
Camp Chef 24.in Woodwind – Specifications & A Quick Overview
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Pellet Hopper Capacity | 22 Pounds |
| Cooking Area | 811 Sq In |
| Grill Temperature Range | 160 To 500 °F |
| Temp Range With Slide & Grill | Upto 650 °F |
| Item Weight | 162 Pounds |
| Item Dimensions | 30 x 48 x 49 inches |
This pellet smoker and grill is an outstanding product from the Popular Camp Chef Woodwind series with many great features.
From an extensive grilling and smoking area to maximum user convenience, this grill promises a remarkable cooking experience.
Most importantly, the Woodwind 36-in. pellet grill is another product from the Camp Chef Woodwind series, which mainly differs from the 24-in. grill because of its larger cooking area, and the other features are the same.
But my focus in this article is to provide you with a comprehensive Camp Chef 24 in. pellet grill review and enough information to make the buying decision easier.
So, let’s begin the review.
Setting Up The Grill – Straightforward
This grill arrives in a well-packaged box with multiple foams and cupboards so that all the grill components remain safe until you receive it.
Assembling this grill is pretty straightforward, and you can set up the whole gadget within 40 to 50 minutes if you have had interactions with Camp Chef pellet grills before.
If you are assembling a grill for the first time, it may require more time, but the visuals provided by the Camp Chef brand ensure you have detailed and step-by-step instructions on setting up this product.
Here’s a quick overview of how to assemble the Camp Chef wifi Woodwind pellet grill.
Its cooking chamber and hopper are already assembled, reducing your effort and saving time. The assembling process begins with attaching the legs to the chamber.
Once the legs and wheels are attached to the chamber, your grill will be able to stand on its own, and you can proceed with attaching the remaining parts, such as the chimney, grill’s lid, cooking grates, and sidekick.
Design & Construction Quality – Elegant & Heavy-Duty
This Camp Chef model has a distinctive design from the other traditional pellet smokers and grills because of the sidekick addition to this grill.
It has an elegant look, one of my favorite things about this grill. Unlike other grills, it has a chimney pipe at the back instead of the side.
Furthermore, it comes in two primary colors, silver at the chamber and sidekick and black at its legs and pellet hopper box.
The major components in this grill are a cooking chamber to place and cook food, four legs with two wheels for moving it around, a pellet hopper to feed pellets, a chimney pipe, a drip pan, and a sidekick, which is attachable to other 14-in. accessories.
If I talk about its construction, it is built to last longer. The manufacturer uses heavy-duty stainless steel material to construct this gadget from both outside and inside, which ensures maximum durability.
Moreover, there is a slight difference in the steel’s thickness on different components. For example, its barrel-shaped chamber and legs contain thicker steel than other parts.
Its hopper comes with a viewable window so that you can easily monitor the level of the pellets without opening the hopper lid. Lastly, its wheels are made of rubber material, making portability quicker and easier without compromising quality.
Most importantly, its portability can be a challenge because it weighs 162 pounds which is quite heavy, and it consists of only two wheels.
Also, it requires electricity to operate, just like any other pellet grill. So, it might not be a perfect option for you if you want to use it for a picnic or camping.
But if you can arrange an electric outlet and lift it with someone, it can be a good option for outdoor use.
The dimensions of this item are 30 x 48 x 49 inches. So, you will need to place it in a spacious area near an electric outlet that can accommodate its size.
PID Controller – Convenient Cooking Sessions
One of my favorite features about this Camp Chef product is its PID controller, which is relatively more advanced than the other pellet grills in the market.
You get to easily monitor the whole cooking session because of several settings on this PID controller.
It shows multiple settings on the screen, like setting the temperature, adjusting the smoke, feeding the pellets, shutdown the grill, other settings, and exiting the whole process.
Let me take you through a quick overview of each setting and how to use it.
Firstly, it has a temperature range of 160 to 500 °F, allowing for multiple cooking types. Its temp setting supports precise temperature control and lets you easily set the desired temperature using the knob below.
One of the most exciting features of this grill is that you can set smoke levels on it from 1 to 10, which is quite impressive.
Unlike Z Grills ZPG-7002C, you don’t have to adjust the smoke with the number of pellets. Simply press the smoke button and get the smoke per your requirements.
Next, you have a feed button, and pressing it will begin the pellet feeding process.
The next setting is shutdown, which instantly stops the whole grill from working and ensures an efficient shutdown process to prevent any kind of hazard.
The remaining settings are named “settings” and “exit.” The settings option is provided if you further want to make adjustments to the grill, and you will be using it less. The exit button lets you reset the whole setting, like smoke level, cooking temp, etc.
To conclude, it is an outstanding outdoor cooking appliance for both beginner and pro BBQ enthusiasts that are looking to invest in a grill that is super easy to use.
But the convenience does not end here as you can use this grill in another way as well. Read on to the next heading.
WIFI & Bluetooth Connectivity – Connect, Control, and Conquer Your Grill
If you want to smoke, grill, bake, or roast your favorite meal without even coming close to the cooking appliance and monitor the whole thing through your smartphone, this Camp Chef model is an evident choice.
It has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity feature that allows you to connect your grill to your home Wi-Fi or your phone’s Bluetooth and enjoy your BBQ sessions through your smartphone. A lot of satisfaction, isn’t it?
After successfully connecting the grill to the camp chef app, you will have your hands on multiple features and functionalities. Here’s what you can do by using the app.
First and foremost, you can easily set and regulate the temperature while your grill cooks and set the smoke levels per your requirements and taste.
Most importantly, this grill accepts four meat probes, and the stats regarding these probes will also be shared on both the Camp Chef app and the LED screen.
So overall, it is a worthy addition to this grill, but like many other pellet grills, I also came across some technical issues with the Camp Chef app.
For example, it connects and disconnects automatically within the range of Wi-Fi, and the manufacturer should address this problem.
Temperature Performance – Reliable But With Small Swings
As mentioned above, its temperature range is 160 to 500 °F, which makes it a versatile grill, especially for smoking and grilling purposes.
Also, it offers precise temperature control for which you just need to roll over its knob given on the PID controller or adjust it through the app.
Furthermore, it has a stainless steel lid with tight sealing, which ensures excellent heat retention and a stable temperature inside the grill’s cooking chamber.
So, its temperature range, control, and heat retention satisfy me.
But, when it comes to even heat distribution or even temperature at different parts of the grill, it fluctuates a bit, and I have encountered several pellet smokers and grills with this issue. Let me explain it further.
For example, if I have set 225 degrees Fahrenheit with the initial smoke level of one, the left part of the grill will have a temperature of around 230 °F, almost the same in the middle, and around 250 °F on the right part.
Most importantly, at lower heat settings like 225 °F, the fluctuations in temperature are minimal. However, it’s worth mentioning that the temperature fluctuations may be higher at higher heat settings like 450 °F.
That is to say, its left and middle parts are less hot than the right part, which might be natural in this grill, or it is standing in an unstable position.
Therefore, you should place and cook your food accordingly, whether the temperature is low and slow or higher.
If I discuss its preheating time, it mainly depends on the cooking temperature you’ve set on the grill. If you wish to smoke at 250 °F, it can take 12 to 13 minutes, and at 450 °F, the preheating duration will be longer, probably around 20 minutes.
To conclude the overall temperature performance of this grill, I would say it offers convenience and cooks food evenly, but there can be heat fluctuation that I noticed in most pellet grills.
Top Tip by FaveGrills
As this grill allows you to insert four meat probes simultaneously, I advise utilizing this feature when cooking multiple food items. It will help you cook each meat to your desired doneness level as well as you can know how faster your food gets cooked at different parts of the grill.
Cooking Area – Perfect For Big Families
This grill shines again when it comes to grilling and smoking areas, as it provides 811 square inches of area to cook your food items. It is one of the best pellet grill options you’ve got if you have a big family or enjoy hosting parties and gatherings.
This whole cooking area is divided into two upper and lower grates. The upper rack measures 382 square inches, whereas the lower rack offers more space which is 429 square inches.
The lower rack is more beneficial when you aim to grill your food because it is closer to the heat source, and the upper rack is better for smoking due to the difference between the heat source and food items.
Slide And Grill Technology
Before discovering the overall cooking performance of this 24-in. grill, it is important to take you through its slide and grill feature, which directly impacts your cooking sessions on this cooking appliance.
Its slide and grill technology offers direct heat grilling with a temperature of up to 650 °F, and this feature is also helpful when you want to prepare your steaks, like ribeye or t-bone, through searing.
All you need to do is simply pull the grill knob given on the left side of the grill, which will move the grill plate aside and activate the direct flame grilling mode for you.
After that, your grill can easily reach 650 °F, and you can grill your meats quickly with sear marks.
When you are done, and you want to shift back to the smoking temperature, simply place the knob back in its exact location. It is an outstanding feature for those who prefer searing steaks and other meat on a smoker and grill combo.
Cooking Performance – Versatile And Desired Results
You can do multiple types of cooking on this grill, whether you choose to utilize the slide and grill technology or not. Let’s explore its performance for various cooking styles and dishes.
Smoking Performance
When it comes to smoking different kinds of thick meats like brisket or turkey, this grill becomes an outstanding smoker because of several exciting features, with a smoke level adjustment being the most admirable one.
When we aim to smoke meat, we all look after rich and delightful smoke flavors in our meat, and this is where you get help from the smart smoke technology of this grill without using a smoke tube.
If you wish to infuse your meat with fewer smoke flavors, simply put low smoke settings on the PID controller, and if you want a more robust smoky taste in your meat, increase the smoke level.
But it is worth mentioning that the higher the smoke level, the higher temperature this grill starts providing. Therefore, you should plan to cook accordingly on the Camp Chef Woodwind 24-in. pellet grill.
Grilling Performance
This grill offers desired grilling results and easiness at the same time. There are several meat options available that you can grill on this appliance. I personally prefer grilling beef cuts, chicken wings, breasts, etc.
Even when grilling, you don’t need to pull its knob and activate the slide and grill feature because it can easily reach the required grilling temperature of 450 to 500 °F.
But if you prefer preparing your food items relatively quicker using a higher temperature than 500 °F, I would suggest activating the slide and grill technology.
Is It Also Suitable For Searing?
It would not be suitable for searing if it had no slide and grill technology. But, as this feature is available in this product, you can achieve the perfect searing temperature on this grill as well as get desired searing results.
You just need to pull the knob, and your grill will start behaving as a cooking appliance certainly manufactured for searing purposes on which you can cook your meats with beautiful sear marks on them.
So, if you are looking for a smoker-grill combo that can also help you prepare your meal within a few minutes, this Camp Chef model suits your needs.
Recommended Reads
If you are going to use a pellet grill for the first time, I recommend you read our comprehensive guides mentioned below to enhance your BBQ game on this Camp Chef pellet grill.
How Good Is Its Sidekick?
You will mostly come across pellet grills that are good at grilling and smoking but can’t reach the required searing temperature, but this Camp Chef Woodwind pellet grill isn’t one of them.
It gives you multiple choices that can help you reach the higher temperature, slide and grill feature, and sidekick. The sidekick of this grill comes up as a gas grill or propane grill but is compatible with some other accessories that must measure 14 inches.
It is an alternative to the sear box that is becoming increasingly popular among BBQ lovers. But remember that the sidekick isn’t explicitly designed as a sear box. Instead, you can use it as a flat-top griddle, pizza oven, and BBQ grill box.
These accessories can help you reach extremely higher temperatures where you can boil water, fry bacon, cook breakfast or dinner dishes, a 14-inch pizza, and grill your desired meats that too in a shorter time.
Furthermore, the sidekick’s accessories are separately sold, and I recommend investing in them because they can take your BBQ adventure to a whole new level.
Ash Kickin’ Cleanout system
Another notable feature of this pellet smoker grill is its Ash Kickin’ Cleanout system, which can make the whole cleaning process a breeze.
Once you have done grilling or smoking, let the grill cool down completely, simply remove the ash cup from its location, empty it from accumulated ash, and you are ready for the next BBQ session.
As for the grill grates, they are porcelain coated, meaning there are fewer chances of food stickiness, and the food’s residue is super easy to remove, simply with a grill brush.
I like this grill a lot, and I highly recommend you take its maintenance seriously, for which you should regularly clean and maintain the various components of the grill if you want to ensure its optimal performance and longevity.
Here’s the visual presentation of how to clean this wood pellet grill.
How Many Pellets Does This Grill Consume?
Whether you use Camp Chef wood pellets or others, I assume the consumption rate of pellets on this grill would almost be the same. Here’s how many wood pellets this grill burns in an hour at different cooking temperatures.
For example, if you have set the temperature between 225 to 250 °F, this grill would consume ¾ to 1 pound of pellets per hour, which isn’t too much.
In case the cooking temperature is higher (around 500 °F), this grill burns around 1¾ to 2 pounds of wood pellets per hour. To conclude, the consumption rate of wood pellets isn’t too much.
So, Should You Invest In This Grill?
No doubt, it costs you slightly more than the other pellet grills in the market, but it also offers several features that are advanced enough to bring more convenience to your grilling sessions and help you achieve desired cooking results.
The only problem I encountered with this grill was little temperature fluctuations at different sides of the grill. To be very honest, it is also usual in other grills. So, it should not be a deal-breaking thing.
Besides this issue regarding temperature, this grill shines as a versatile product capable of smoking, direct grilling, baking, roasting, searing, air frying, and much more.
So yes, you should invest in this grill if budget isn’t an issue for you.
What Do I Like About This Grill?
- Vast Temperature Range: This grill has a temperature range of 160 to 500 °F, which is excellent, but its slide and grill technology can help you reach an extremely high temperature of 650 °F, making it a versatile product.
- The Great Sidekick Feature: It has a sidekick compatible with several other 14-in. accessories like a pizza oven and grill box, allowing you to do any cooking on this gadget, from searing and air frying to baking and braising.
- Huge Cooking Area: It provides an ample cooking space of 811 square inches divided into two racks where you can cook plenty of food at once.
- Wi-Fi & App Connectivity: You don’t need to babysit your grill anymore while it cooks because this Camp Chef Woodwind grill has a Wi-Fi connectivity feature that allows you to monitor your cooking sessions through the app on your smartphone.
- Easy To Use: Besides its app feature, you can still use this grill effortlessly because it offers a PID controller that allows for precise temperature control, smoke level adjustment, etc.
What Do I Dislike
- Temperature Fluctuations: The right part of this grill remains hotter than the middle and left, and the difference is higher when you cook at an extremely high temperature.
- App Disconnectivity: Although the app is a great feature in this product which lets you cook while staying away from the grill, the app may disconnect automatically even when you’re using it within the range of Wi-Fi.
- Two Wheels Only: This grill is pretty heavy and consists of only two wheels which can make its portability a bit challenging.
Conclusion
If you are not on a budget and want to buy a versatile pellet grill that is easy to use through the PID controller and smartphone app, offers plenty of cooking space, and delivers excellent cooking results, then the Woodwind 24 in. is the grill for you.
Conversely, you may want to invest in the Woodwind 36 in. if you require an even larger cooking area and have to cook food for larger gatherings often. Ultimately, this grill costs you more due to its larger size and increased cooking capacity.
Your Opinion Is Valuable To Us
The Camp Chef Woodwind review is over, and by now, you should have enough information to make a buying decision. If there is still something that you want to know and have any suggestions, leave them in the comments box below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you convert the sidekick to natural gas?
Yes, the Camp Chef conversion kit allows you to convert the Sidekick side burners from liquid propane to natural gas because the kit provides all the necessary components to complete this job.
Does the Sidekick of this grill have grates for grilling burgers or steaks?
The sidekick has a built-in griddle that has no grates, but the good thing is that you can buy the grill box separately that is compatible with the sidekick as well as has grilling grates.
Can this grill accommodate and cook two 16 lb briskets at once?
Yes, this pellet grill’s cooking area is large enough to hold and smoke your two 16-pound beef briskets to perfection at once. You can set up one in the upper rack and the other in the lower rack.
